The Latest: Power failure – Penske car has early problems

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) The Latest on the IndyCar race at Road America (all times local):

1:55 p.m.

Pole sitter Josef Newgarden had a dominating run at Road America for his third IndyCar victory of the season.

The defending series champion crossed the finish line with a comfortable 3.38-second cushion over second-place Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Newgarden led 53 of 55 laps in the 222-mile race, pulling away slowly from Hunter-Reay over the last 15 laps. Points leader Scott Dixon finished third.

The win completed an impressive weekend for Newgarden, who recorded the fastest lap speed in practice this weekend. He returns to the podium following a five-race stretch finishing no higher than eighth that had dropped him from first to fifth in the driver standings.

Newgarden has led most of the way in the IndyCar road race with Hunter-Reay’s No. 28 Honda right on the tail of the leader’s No. 1 Chevy. But Newgarden has opened a 1.7-second lead with 13 laps to go in the 55-lap race.

Newgarden has been impressive all weekend, having registered the fastest lap in practice, too.

Points leader Scott Dixon is third.

It has been a clean race, run entirely so far under a green flag.

—

1 p.m.

Tony Kanaan is celebrating an anniversary at Road America.

The Kohler Grand Prix will be Kanaan’s 293rd consecutive IndyCar start, extending a series record. The race comes 17 years to the day that the streak began at Portland International Raceway in 2001.

The veteran was running 17th through 25 laps after starting in 18th place. Kanaan is operating on a four-stop pit strategy, while most of the other drivers are trying to go on three stops through the 55-lap race.

Pole sitter Josef Newgarden has led most of the way. But two other championship contenders are in already in trouble.

Indy 500 winner Will Power is done after two laps because of mechanical issues with his No. 12 Chevy.

Sebastien Bourdais’ No. 18 Honda lost ground after he had to pit on lap 9 to fix a gear control problem. Bourdais was in 20th place.

—

12:35 p.m.

Will Power already is in trouble at Road America.

The Team Penske driver had mechanical issues at the start of the 222-mile Kohler Grand Prix. His No. 12 Chevy slowly made its way into the pits at the end of the first lap.

It was a disappointing start after Power qualified second for the 55-lap race. Crew members pushed his car back into the garage.

Power is coming off an 18th-place finish in the last race two weeks ago at Texas.

Power’s teammate and pole sitter Josef Newgarden had about a 1-second lead on Ryan Hunter-Reay after nine laps.

—

12:10 p.m.

Josef Newgarden leads a Team Penske sweep on the front row at the IndyCar series race at Road America.

The defending series champion starts from the pole, with teammate Will Power alongside him up front in second.

Newgarden recorded the top lap speed in practice this weekend. He’s looking for a spark following a five-race stretch finishing no higher than eighth, dropping him from first to fifth in the driver standings.

Points leader Scott Dixon will start eighth.

Track president George Bruggenthies announced before Sunday’s race that the IndyCar series would return to the rural Wisconsin track for three more years.

Road America has been a popular stop with drivers and fans since the top open-wheel racing series returned to Elkhart Lake in 2016.